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While there are good resources to help family foundation boards identify common and effective practices in each area of governance-related questions, this guide by the National Center for Family Philanthropy focuses less on the outcomes and more on ensuring that all of the issues are considered for building the board your foundation deserves.

While every philanthropic journey is unique, there are points at which all families must make decisions. This series of seven short videos offers a comprehensive introduction and refresher to critical concepts to consider at each stage of your family philanthropy—from philanthropic purpose and selecting giving vehicles, to operations, succession, and legacy. Additional resources and insights are provided on each topic to further help you navigate your philanthropic giving and strengthen your family engagement.

Governance, a system for who will make decisions and how, is the guiding framework for your family philanthropy’s long-term success. There are many governance constructs that support an effective board, and different methods to engage family within each construct. But what are the common elements that contribute to an effective board across all governance constructs? In this webcast, learn the “nuts and bolts” of good governance. For more on this topic, watch the short video on strengthening governance and family dynamics.

Governance is the framework that helps you establish decision-making principles, policies, and practices. Understand the process and value of building a strong governance structure. This primer is the third in a series of seven about the Family Giving Lifecycle by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, comprising of seven inflection points and orients donors toward effective outcomes at each stage:

What is the consequence of your philanthropy and who will steward future efforts? Legacy requires creating and implementing plans for donor intent, lifespan, continuity, and succession. Explore how to define and build your legacy and prepare for transitions. This primer is the seventh in a series of seven about the Family Giving Lifecycle by the National Center for Family Philanthropy, comprising of seven inflection points and orients donors toward effective outcomes at each stage:

Just as government and businesses require sound governance to do their work well, so too do families—and their philanthropy. The Family Governance Pyramid provides a model and framework for philanthropic families that is even more relevant and necessary today than when it was first introduced nearly two decades ago. This article by the National Center for Family Philanthropy provides some perspective on why, and how, families can apply this model to their family and philanthropy, for the good of all.

This issue brief examines the kinds of decisions that family foundations often face and sets out practical, easy-to-apply guidelines for ensuring that the foundation’s decision-making methods vary appropriately, as conditions and circumstances change.

Across the world, philanthropy is undergoing a transformation that offers both exciting opportunities and complex challenges. With so much in flux, emerging donors and established funders are seeking new models not only for funding strategies and impact measures, but also for organizational design and management systems that will serve them well into the 21st century.